Quiet Mind, Fearless Heart: The Taoist Path through Stress and Spirituality

by Brian Luke Seaward

Overview

Reading Quiet Mind, Fearless Heart is like eavesdropping on a conversation between Lao Tzu and Joseph Campbell—a pure pleasure to read!
—Deepak Chopra, M.D., coauthor of The Seven Spiritual Laws of Yoga and author of The Spontaneous Fulfillment of Desire

"Quiet Mind, Fearless Heart is an enchanting piece of wisdom that combines ancient insights with practical solutions to the stress epidemic that permeates our culture. Brian Luke Seaward is a master teacher, skillful guide, and true healer."
—Larry Dossey, M.D., author of Healing Words and Reinventing Medicine

"The perfect antidote for these acceleratingly stressful post-9/11 times with fearmongers accosting us everywhere, Quiet Mind, Fearless Heart artfully and wisely blends stress relief with spirituality. Keeping us constantly uplifted and engaged, this book is filled with witty sayings, practical, powerful exercises, and personal stories that ring with heartfelt authenticity."
—Candace B. Pert, Ph.D., author of Molecules of Emotion

With graceful wisdom and gentle humor, Dr. Brian Luke Seaward helps you see past the limitations of the ego to the highest potential of the human spirit at the core of your very being. Through a unique alchemy of the ancient Chinese philosophy of Taoism and the timeless insights of the visionary Joseph Campbell, Seaward shows you how to harness this potential so that you may find the courage to be a victor, not a victim of life's problems. Through the realization of this alchemy you will become the hero at the center of your own mythical life journey.

Using simple but powerful exercises, meditations, and self-exploration techniques, you will learn to reconnect and harmonize with the universal spirit energy, or Tao, that flows through you to achieve inner balance, the joy of life, and optimal health. This book gives you the tools and skills to overcome adversity, resolve the emotional and psychological obstacles keeping you from realizing your potential, and vanquish stress, bringing peace to your heart and soul. Featuring the insights of renowned spiritual luminaries and philosophers from around the world and throughout the ages as well as many inspirational stories from women and men just like you, this powerful motivational guide shows you how to cope with everyday stress, embrace your divinity, and find true harmony in your life.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780471679998
Publisher:	TURNER PUB CO
Publication date:	10/01/2004
Edition description:	First Edition
Pages:	256
Sales rank:	1,121,050
Product dimensions:	6.38(w) x 9.24(h) x 0.68(d)

About the Author

BRIAN LUKE SEAWARD, Ph.D., is a pioneer in the field of health psychology who is known internationally for his contributions in the areas of holistic stress management, spirituality, and mind-body-spirit healing. He is the author of several other books, including Stressed Is Desserts Spelled Backward and Stand Like Mountain, Flow Like Water.

Read an Excerpt

Click to read or download

Table of Contents

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.

INTRODUCTION: The Best of Times, the Worst of Times.

PART I: Into the Unknown.

1. The Winds of Change Are Brewing.

2. Under Pressure.

PART II: Crossing the Threshold.

3. Stand Like Mountain, Move Like Water.

4. Move a Mountain, Walk on Water.

PART III: Life in the Balance.

5. The Human Equinox: Six Ways to Bring Balance into Your Life.

6. The Health of the Human Spirit: Twenty-one Strategies for Letting Go of Stress.

PART IV: Back Home Again.

7. The Winds of Grace.

EPILOGUE: Sacred Spaces and Divine Inspiration.

REFERENCES AND RESOURCES.

INDEX.

Editorial Reviews

* personal adversity"" and bring ""peace to the heart and soul."" The book’s four parts in turn discuss the nature and reality of stress; the relationship between stress and spirituality; practical strategies for finding equilibrium and letting go of stress; and some success stories. Throughout, Seaward intersperses brief meditation and journaling exercises. Yet the book feels hollow. While Seaward touches on some profound Taoist principles--as one might expect, given the book’s title--he fails to investigate these teachings in any depth. Instead, he uses them as a broad, a priori template for an ""ageless wisdom"" held by generic ""wisdom keepers."" He then cites examples of this wisdom from a wide range of other sources and traditions, including Native American spirituality, Joseph Campbell’s writings, and DNA research. This lack of focus is exacerbated by the text’s habit of substituting unsatisfying anecdotes for a probing exploration of a given point. The result is a superficial amalgam of sweeping generalizations, inspirational clichés (""even the darkest night has bright stars!""), sentimental stories of triumph over adversity and quotes from the likes of Mother Teresa, Einstein and Lance Armstrong. Some of Seaward’s spirituality-based ideas for navigating stress may have dimension and weight, but his treatment leaves them feeling trivial. (Nov.) (Publishers Weekly, October 11, 2004)

From the Publisher

Seaward (Stressed Is Desserts Spelled Backward) offers a book to help the reader "overcome personal adversity" and bring "peace to the heart and soul." The book's four parts in turn discuss the nature and reality of stress; the relationship between stress and spirituality; practical strategies for finding equilibrium and letting go of stress; and some success stories. Throughout, Seaward intersperses brief meditation and journaling exercises. Yet the book feels hollow. While Seaward touches on some profound Taoist principles-as one might expect, given the book's title-he fails to investigate these teachings in any depth. Instead, he uses them as a broad, a priori template for an "ageless wisdom" held by generic "wisdom keepers." He then cites examples of this wisdom from a wide range of other sources and traditions, including Native American spirituality, Joseph Campbell's writings, and DNA research. This lack of focus is exacerbated by the text's habit of substituting unsatisfying anecdotes for a probing exploration of a given point. The result is a superficial amalgam of sweeping generalizations, inspirational cliches ("even the darkest night has bright stars!"), sentimental stories of triumph over adversity and quotes from the likes of Mother Teresa, Einstein and Lance Armstrong. Some of Seaward's spirituality-based ideas for navigating stress may have dimension and weight, but his treatment leaves them feeling trivial. (Nov.) Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

Publishers Weekly